Gearba
Gearba 'Description:' Gearba is a diverse country ranging from arid steps to moist jungle lands and its people are just as diverse. It is an exotic land filled with exotic and fantastic peoples. It is often called “The Jewel of the Spice Sea” because of the island’s incredible wealth and the bright, vivid colors the local people tend to decorate everything with. Both the Old Fey Religion and Soulism are practiced in Gearba and are both recognized as official religions. There is also a large population of Gearbihns that believe in the 1000-Faced God. Often called The Infinites, these Gearbihns believe that all Gods are different aspects of a single entity. Still others, called the Unshared, believe that there is only one God, whose name and nature is unknowable as his essence and being permeate and create the entire universe, and that all other Gods are lesser beings that are not true Gods but messengers and servants of The One. Some others, reject the notion of any God. 'History:' Though Gearba has long been inhabited, it is a far newer country than most of countries of the Ohsahn Continent. The first settlements on Gearba were in fact small colonies established by other countries like Grelos, Calzine, and The Cypheian Empire while trying to establish a trade route between Ohsahn and Smeelei. As the colonies began to grow and become better established, they grew more and more autonomous and self-sufficient. Eventually the various colonies banded together to declare their independence, which resulted in a few brief wars between the fledgling Gearbihn Sultanate and its former masters before it was ultimately recognized as its own sovereign entity, by most of the Ohsahn Continent. 'Geography:' Gearba’s geography is incredibly diverse. Gearba is located on a very large island at the confluence of four large bodies of water: the Ohsahn Gulf, the Southern Sea, the Spice Sea, and the Great Sea. Because of its unique position in the global ocean, it is subject to a variety of weather patterns that leave parts of the island arid desert land, parts of it lush rain forest, and still other parts somewhere in between. Shielded to the west by the Smeelei Continent, much of the western half of the island is arid or semi-arid. A jet stream brings warm, wet weather to the northeastern portion of the Gearba, making it lush jungle land. The southeastern portion of the island experiences a monsoon type climate with dry winters and wet summers. 'Government:' Gearba is Sultanate, which is ruled by a Sultan or Sultana who makes and enforces all of the country’s laws. All citizens are permitted to attend the Sultan’s Court to air grievances either directly to the Sultan or to his counsel. 'Economy:' Gearba has a thriving economy based on maritime trade. Its docks serve as a convenient hub for trade between Ontearis’s two major continents. Most goods traveling from Ohsahn to Smeelei stop in Gearba to be transferred to other merchants for the second leg of the journey and vise versa. Gearba’s diverse geography also offers a wide array of natural resources that help make the country even more productive and prosperous. 'Inhabitants:' The inhabitants of Gearba are as diverse as its climate. Gearba is host to a wide array of racial backgrounds and religious beliefs. Gearba not only acknowledges the diversity of its people, but actively celebrates it. Inhabitants of Gearba are generally fairly open minded and accepting and are often recognized for their theological innovation. The Temple of the Soulist God Zoth is also located in Gearba. 'Country Traits:' 'Cartographer:' You grew up on the island of Gearba, a country made enormously wealthy by its trade routes that stretch into the continent of Smeelei and throughout the Great and Southern Seas. It contains some of the most detailed and accurate maps in the world. In days gone by, you worked as a cartographer and helped produce these maps. Bonus: You gain a +2 bonus to Knowledge (Geography) and it is always a class skill for you. 'Land of Celebrations: ' Gearba is a gateway between the Ohsahn Continent and many of the other outlying lands. It has a diverse range of geographical regions, a diverse mix of racial backgrounds, and a diverse spread of religious and political ideals found within its boards. In order to fairly represent all of its people, it holds festivals on each of the God’s festival days for both the Fey Religion and Soulism. You grew up amongst the endless parties and myriad of different peoples and with all their various religious beliefs. Bonus: Gain a +1 bonus to Preform checks and a +1 bonus to Knowledge (Religion) checks. ' '